Chelsea are currently second in the Premier League following a comeback victory against Tottenham Hotspur on matchday 15 of the 2024/25 season, yet Enzo Maresca is arguing that his team is not ready to challenge for the titles.
The Blues have spent themselves into a great situation finally, while letting go of managers like Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino along the line for an upstart like Enzo Maresca, whose only major experience was with Leicester City in the second division of English football.
There was little confidence in Maresca’s pedigree when he came on board and Chelsea fans will remember how tough he had it in pre-season. The Italian, who served under Pep Guardiola and sports a similar look (bald-headed and silver-bearded) to the Spaniard, has proved everyone wrong by showing that he can learn from his mistakes.
The astronomic growth that the Stamford Bridge outfit is experiencing has led to them being touted as potential Premier League winners. However, the former Parma manager is refusing to accept this, even arguing with journalists who ask him about his side’s title chances.
“After the game, my message to the players was to be focused,” Maresca said. “To be focused in the day-by-day, in our session, in the next game on Thursday then Sunday, because if you start to think in two games, three games or in four games where we are? It’s completely wrong.
“The main focus has to be enjoy the day off, with family or friends, but when they come back go again 100 per cent, train well, go for the game and no more than that.
“We are happy that our fans are happy. They can dream, they can think everything because on the outside it is quite clear, also inside, the reality is that I said many times for me we are not ready to be there, but the important thing is we improve day by day.”
Maresca, however, admitted that his side is on the way to where many believe they currently are, especially when putting his team’s victory over Spurs in context.
He also praised Cole Palmer for his leadership and classified him as one of the special players in world football.
“‘It’s remarkable. Cole belongs to that group that are not normal players. They are top players and they do things that normal players or us, we say, ‘how can he do that?’ He scored because he’s top. We can expect this from Cole.”
